Game apparatus



O 1963 D. CAIRNS I 3,107,095 GAME APPARATUS Filed Sept. 16. 1960 FIG. I

FIG. 4

INVENTOR. DOROTHY L. CAIRNS ATTORNEYS United States Patent M 3,107,095- GAME APPARATUS Dorothy L. Cairns, 54 Marion Drive, Mentor, Ohio Filed Sept. 16, 1960, Ser. No. 56,583 4 Claims. ((11. 273-105) This invention relates to a game device for the amusement of children and adults.

Over the years, the old and well-known ticktacktoe game has been a source of amusement to a large number of people. The present invention represents an improved variation of that game, involving considerably more skill and providing for much greater versatility.

Broadly speaking, the invention contemplates the use of a generally flat lattice forming three rows of squares or rectangles in side by side parallelism with each row con isting of three squares or rectangles. This lattice forms the playing field and may be placed horizontally on the ground, the floor or even on the surface of the Water in a swimming pool or lake. A number of throwing pieces, some having, for example, the configuration of crosses and others, that of rings, are provided for tossing by the players toward the rectangles formed by the lattice. The throwing pieces are of a size to fit within the rectangles which are formed by the lattice work so that if accurately thrown, a piece may drop into any one of the various rectangles. Two players throw their pieces alternately until one succeeds in causing his crosses or circles to fall into three consecutive rectangles disposed in a straight line.

In one of its most satisfactory forms, the lattice may be formed from a number of straight, elongated strips removably fastened together so that it may be assembled at the playing site. In this way, the lattice may be easily transported and stored in knocked-down condition. For this same reason, the crosses which are thrown at the lattice may also be constructed from elements removably fitted together, if desired. It will be realized, of course, that the throwing pieces need not be necessarily constructed in cross or ring form and that, in fact, a considerable amount of variation in the design of these pieces may be employed.

It is a broad object of this invention to provide an economical and versatile game device for the amusement of the players.

It is a further and more specific object of the invention to provide a game of the type described which includes a lattice forming a plurality of rectangles into which contrasting sets of throwing pieces are adapted to be tossed until a desired pattern of rectangles filled by the pieces of one of such sets is obtained.

It is an even further object of the invention to provide, in a game of the type described, a lattice formed from a plurality of straight, elongated strips adapted to be removably fitted together in order to improve the ease with which the game may be transported and stored.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description to follow:

In the drawings:

"FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the game in use;

FIG. 2 is a view, in enlarged scale, taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view, in further enlarged scale, showing the details of one manner in which strips forming the lattice may be removably secured together.

Turning now more particularly to the drawings, I have shown a game which includes a flat lattice generally indicated at 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the lattice is constructed from two sets of straight, flat strips. Each artists Patented Oct. 15, 1963 set comprises four strips arranged in side-by-side, laterally-spaced parallelism. The strips 12 of one such set are disposed generally perpendicular to the strips 14 of the other set so as together to form a playing flield of three rows of three rectangles each, or nine rectangles in all, disposed in a checkerboard fashion. Because of the fact that each of the strips is of a finite thickness, the rectangles formed by the lattice, when placed upon a relatively flat surface, form box-like cavities open at one end.

To increase the ease with which the lattice may be transported, provision may be made for detachably aflixing to one another the strips making up the lattice. In a further alternative the lattice structure may be pennanently affixed together in the manner of a collapsible gate to be stretched forming a playing area. One satisfactory way of providing a detachable connection is by means of a conventional rabbet joint, as seen in FIG. 4. Each strip, at the point where it crosses another strip, is provided with a transverse slot or groove 16 opening towards the other strip. Each such groove has a depth equal to about half the thickness of the strip in which it is formed and a Width substantially equal to the Width of the strip to which it is to be secured. By positioning the grooves 16 of two perpendicular strips in opposed relationship and forcing the groove in one strip into the groove in the other, the two strips may be removably secured to one another. In the embodiment illustrated then, each strip would be provided with a set of four grooves or slots spaced about equidistant from one another. An alternative means of fabricating an easily transportable and storab'le lattice would be to provide a pivot joint at points of juncture of the strips to render the lattice collapsible.

The game also includes at least two sets of throwing pieces of a size to be readily receivable within the confines of the rectangles in the lattice. Where a lattice of nine rectangles is used, each set would be comprised of at least three pieces and preferably more, and the pieces comprising each set would have some identifying characteristic to distinguish them from the pieces making up the other set. In the illustrated embodiment, each piece 18 of one set is formed in the shape of a cross and each piece 26 of the other set is formed in the shape of a ring. Either additionally or alternatively the pieces in one set could be of a difierent color than those in the other. Of course, configurations other than crosses and rings could be utilized as throwing pieces.

In one specific example of the dimensions according to which the elements of the game would be constructed, the lattice 10 would be formed from eight strips onehalf inch thick, three-fourths inch wide and thirty-six inches long. The grooves 16 would be one-fourth inch deep and three-fourths inch wide, and would be spaced along each strip at about ten inch intervals.

Each of the cross-like throwing pieces would be formed from a pair of strips about one-half inch thick, threefourths inch wide and about three and one-half inches long attached to one another in perpendicular relationship. Each ring like throwing piece would be about onehalf inch thick and about three inches in diameter with a central hole formed therein of about one and threeeighths inches in diameter.

It will be realized, of course, that the dimensions referred to hereinabove are for illustrative purposes only and describe merely one form of the invention which has been found to be particularly satisfactory.

In a preferred method of playing with the game, two players participate, each of whom selects a set of throwing pieces and positions himself at a suitable distance from the lattice which would be disposed generally horizontally on a suitable supporting surface. Normally this 3 distance would range from eight to ten feet. If the game is to be played with the lattice disposed on the surface of the water, the lattice and the throwing pieces must obviously be made from a material which is buoyant.

The players then take turns alternately tossing the throwing pieces toward the rectangles formed by the lattice with a view towards causing a given piece to drop wholly within one of the box-like cavities formed by the strips of the lattice in combination with the supporting surface. Should the pieces, when thrown, fall into the lattice in such a way as to straddle or lean against one or more of the strips from which the lattice is formed, or should one of the pieces fall into a box-like cavity already occupied by another piece, the player who has thrown that piece may retrieve it and throw again. Play continues until one player has managed to throw his pieces into three cavities which form one with the other a straight line extending either horizontally, vertically or diagonally of the lattice.

While a preferred embodiment of the game and of the method for playing with it has been described herein,

it will be immediately apparent to one skilled in the art that a number of modifications could be made in the construction of the various elements making up the game and that the method in which the game may be played can be varied to some degree without at the same time departing from the inventive concept herein described. For this reason, it is my desire to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A variant type of ticktacktoe comprising a playing field and rod-like members forming a lattice being rigidly secured together against separation dividing said playing field into substantially nine similarly shaped and adjacent areas, at least two groups of playing pieces substantially equal in number, one group being representative of a cross and the other of a circle; said pieces being adapted to be thrown alternately into the playing field to line up a multiplicity of at least three pieces of the same group in a line on said playing field.

2. A variant form of ticktacktoe involving the throwing of playing pieces into a playing field comprising a playing field with a multiplicity of rod members secured together to form a rigid lattice defining at least nine substantially similarly shaped areas for this playing field, each of said areas being bounded by the sides of the lattice, and two groups of playing pieces, one of said pieces being crosses and the other circles, said pieces being adapted to be thrown alternately into said playing field to cause the pieces of one group to be aligned within the lattice.

3. A variant form of ticktacktoe comprising a playing field, a rectangular lattice thereon formed from rod-like members removably secured together to divide the playing field into nine similarly shaped areas with the rodlike members between the areas in the lattice of the playing field, and playing pieces consisting of an equal number of buoyant crosses and circles adapted to be thrown from a distance into said areas.

4. The game of claim 3 in which the rod-like lattice members are of buoyant material and secured together in a rigid rabbet joint.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,292,011 Monroe Jan. 21, 1919 1,465,160 Luchio Aug. 14, 1923 1,483,488 Skreberg Feb. 12, 1924 1,504,633 Luce Aug. 12, 1924 2,313,473 Heacock et al. Mar. 9, 1943 2,819,904 Nelson et al. Jan. 14, 1958 2,891,793 Mudry June 23, 1959 2,967,714 Calabrese Jan. '10, 1961 3,059,928 Flanagan Oct. 23, 1962 

1. A VARIANT TYPE TICKTACKTOE COMPRISING A PLAYING FIELD AND ROD-LIKE MEMBERS FORMING A LATTICE BEING RIGIDLY SECURED TOGETHER AGAINST SEPARATION DIVIDING SAID PLAYING FIELD INTO SUBSTANTIALLY NINE SIMILARLY SHAPED AND ADJACENT AREAS, AT LEAST TWO GROUPS OF PLAYING PIECES SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL IN NUMBER, ONE GROUP BEING REPRESENTATIVE OF A CROSS AND THE OTHER OF A CIRCLE; SAID PIECES BEING ADAPTED TO BE THROWN ALTERNATELY INTO THE PLAYING FIELD TO LINE UP 